After countless leaks and innumerable rumors, Samsung has finally “unpacked” the duo of its latest flagship devices, namely the Galaxy S8 and S8+.
These new devices have an all-glass body and a metal frame, however the design is quite unusual which make the smartphone a big long. Samsung says that they have decided to reduce distractions and provide an all screen experience for users.
The Infinity Display:
The main difference between these two smartphones is the screen size, Galaxy S8 has a 5.8-inch screen, whereas S8+ ups the display to 6.20 inches. Both of the phones have Super AMOLED screens with 18.5:9 ratio and 1,440px x 2,960px resolution.
Samsung is marketing the new screen as ‘Infinity Display’ that curves around the left and right edges of the device, along with slim bezels at the top and bottom with rounded corners.
Furthermore, the S8 and S8+ doesn’t have a physical home button, instead there is a pressure sensitive ‘invisible home button that’s built into the display itself. Samsung claims that their tactile feedback is much better than Apple.
A Peek Under the Hood:
The Galaxy S8 and S8+ are powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC or in some regions like Pakistan and Middle East, it would come with Samsung’s own Exynos 8895 processer.
It also packs 4GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage and the support for microSDXC up to 256GB. Samsung that some regions will get a special version with 6GB of RAM and 128GB internal storage.
These devices are gigabit LTE and gigabit Wi-Fi ready with support for up to 1 Gbps so users can quickly download files, regardless of the file size.
Galaxy S8 features a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner right next to the camera and in terms of connectivity it offers USB-C charging port, headphone jack, NFC, MST Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi g/n/a. Samsung has also built in a new iris/facial recognition feature that according to company claims is much secure than a regular fingerprint scanner.
S8 and S8+ are IP68 dust- and water-resistance and offer wireless charging and fast-charging capabilities. The S8 has a 3000mAh battery and there’s a 3500mAh battery on the S8+.
Camera Experience:
The Galaxy S8 and S8+ are equipped with an 8-Megapixel F1.7 “smart autofocus” front camera and 12-Megapixel F1.7 Dual Pixel rear camera. This is the same camera used in S7, but with new software Samsung claims that it gives best low-light, zoom and anti-blur photos with enhanced image processing.
Contrary to all rumors thecamera doesn’t offer 1000fps recording for super slow motion videos, but it can record 4K video at 30fps.
Software and Digital Assistant:
These new devices run on Android 7.0 Nougat with a special user interface design for the infinity display. It offers new aesthetic transitions, colorful logos and quick navigation options.
Samsung also introduced Bixby, its digital assistant and intelligent interface, which can be accessed through a dedicated button on each device. Bixby doesn’t only answer voice queries but also learns about the user behavior. It can also scan objects and provide information about them, without using voice or written commands.
The company says that contextual awareness capabilities enable Bixby to offer personalized help based on what it continues to learn about the user’s interests, situation and location.
Convertible Desktop Experience:
The Galaxy S8 and S8+ support DeX, a Windows Continuum like feature which allows users to connect their devices to a monitor, mouse and keyboard via a dock.
Pricing and Availability:
These new devices will be offered in five colors including Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Coral Blue, Arctic Silver, and Maple Gold. S8 and S8+ are schedule to go on sale at the end of April priced at $750 and $850 in the international markets.
Samsung will also give a pair of quality AKG headphones with dual drivers and a free Gear VR with motion controller in selected markets.
Users will be able to buy other accessories like DeX, wireless charging pad, mobile battery pack, Gear 360 camera, and a range of covers, including a QWERTY keyboard cover, and a kickstand-style ‘standing cover’.
We have reached out to Samsung Pakistan to know more about the pricing and launch of these new phones in Pakistan and will update once we get more information.
